Severus' Christmas with the Evanses
by Escoger
Summary: All Severus Snape wanted was not to be alone for Christmas, and if his only choice was to spend it with Lily's family, they weren't too bad. Surely whatever secrets and silly traditions a Muggle family had wouldn't mean anything, right? AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Severus' Christmas with the Evans**

 **Chapter One**

 **Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, nor do I own the Harry Potter Series.**

A meaty fist slammed into the paneling just over Severus' head. "And just where do you think you are going, boy?"

Severus glared at it before resuming putting on his Muggle coat.

"I said, _where do you think you are going_?" It was half-past four on Christmas Eve, but Tobias Snape's cheeks were puffy and he braced himself against the wall. Several cans littered the floor by the threadbare chair he'd been sitting at for the past Merlin-knew-how-many hours, blending in with the matted carpet floor and the walls whose paint had started peeling in a few places.

Easily a head taller than his son, Tobias Snape's arms were long but piled high with muscle. He was clean-shaven with matted black hair he kept short, but it was his eyes he shared with Severus, beetle-black ones that squinted out over a hard, thin-lipped face.

Severus looked toward the man, an uninterested expression fixed upon his face. "Out for a walk."

"And where to?" Tobias loomed over him.

"Meeting with Lily." Severus allowed his lip to curl, not reaching for his wand, but rather letting his hand drift lazily toward it. It was a simple message: 'I will do what I want and you can't stop me, you stupid Muggle filth, because I have magic and you do not.'

Tobias' eyes narrowed and he backed up several steps before his lips twisted into a sneer. "On Christmas Eve? Shouldn't you be spending that with your 'loving family' instead of some tart?"

Severus' wand was in his hand in an instant. " _Don't call her that_!"

Tobias glared down at it before letting out a snort and lowering his head in a parody of a bow. "Whatever you say, boy," he said and returned to his chair.

Severus' breath hissed in his ears, but he managed to bring his temper under a smidge of control before yanking on the rest of his coat and boots and slamming the door behind him.

Its shutting caused a layer of grey snow to topple from the top of the building, which seemed to glower down at him through boarded-up windows and a drooping roof that looked as it might collapse in a year, ten years, or maybe a week.

"Damn Muggle," Severus cursed under his breath, before stalking through the snow away from the hovel he'd had no choice but to call home for sixteen years behind him. In a street lined with dingy houses, whose cramped yards were filled with weeds and not much else, the Snape home seemed to take pleasure in being the dingiest and ugliest of the lot, perfectly suited for the man soaking his brain in alcohol inside.

Only two more years and he could leave it all behind.

* * *

The home before him wasn't much bigger than the house he'd just left, but the white paint upon its sidings was smooth and even, the driveway was shoveled, and under a layer of snow, the bushes were in perfect alignment. It had a large wreath upon the front door, in the center of which was a 'Welcome!' sign and below which as a big brass door knocker. It was about a third of the way up a street of almost-identical houses.

The Evans family's home. It had been... what two years since the last time he'd visited here? It hadn't changed much, save for the wreath. It was nice enough, he supposed, but too Muggle for him. Were it not for Lily, Severus wouldn't give the place a second glance. Still, he didn't want to be impolite, so he fixed a neutral expression upon his face before grabbing the door-knocker and slamming it against the door three times.

The door opened, but it was Petunia's skinny frame that came out of it. A long, pointed face poked out of a jacket whose colors had started to fade from heavy washing, and a blue dress that cut off a few inches above the ground, as if afraid the dust might leap up and cling to it. Her lip curled as she peered down at the boy whose presence littered her family's front step. "And what are _you_ doing here? Don't you have other things to do, like getting drunk on newt vomit?"

"I am not my father," Severus hissed.

Petunia's smile was downright wicked. "Never said you were."

Severus cursed the instinctive reaction in his head. Every time he was around the damn Muggle, his temper flared. Forcing his anger down, he said, "Lily invited me."

Petunia's eyes narrowed. "Surely she wouldn't... " She shut the door and shouted something Severus couldn't quite make out, receiving an indistinct shout back. Two more shouts later, and she opened the door sullenly. "Get in here then, before someone sees you, and don't muck up our front hall."

"Merry Christmas to you, too."

The inside of the Evans family home was much the same as what laid outside. Everything was clean to the point of shining, and there was a plastic snowman with a dopey grin hoisting a plastic sign saying 'Happy Holidays' upon the table in the front hall, beside which the Evans family's coats hung on hooks. Severus felt a surge of pleasure at the way Petunia huffed and flounced away at the sight of his coat being put up beside them.

'Muggles', he could almost hear Lucius say, probably while looking down that perfect, aquiline nose of his at the decorations.

It wasn't the worst, but after last year, when he'd attended the Malfoy family's Christmas Gala and seen the sight of their manor lit up with perfect crystalline ice sculptures, house elves smoothly asking him if he would like a bit of firewhiskey-braised salmon to go with his butterbeer, all topped with a Christmas Tree the Evans' home could fit underneath of… Severus found himself sighing at the cheap store-bought ornaments.

But then, he supposed, it wasn't like he'd be seeing the inside of Malfoy Manor on Christmas, or ever again, probably.

There was a creaking sound from down the hall, and Severus looked up to see Lily's father, Richard Evans, tottering down the hall with a massive pile of presents in his hands, each one wrapped in shiny gold, green or red wrapping paper with a little bow on top.

A balding man with a paunch to his belly that had grown with the years, he was dressed in a thick yellow Christmas sweater and suspenders, but he had the same smile Lily did and used it when he noticed who else was with him. "Merry Christmas, Severus! I'd shake your hand, but," he hoisted the pile of presents a little higher, "well, I'm sure you understand."

"Mr. Evans, sir," Severus said, before remembering his manners and adding, "Merry Christmas."

Richard didn't seem to mind the forgetfulness though, as he chuckled, before saying, "Follow me. We've got the tree in the living room. Almost wasn't there - Lily wanted to try the dining room, but Marigold overruled her, you see-"

He continued talking away about some minor family squabble.

Severus didn't say much, just nodding along and humming in agreement at the appropriate times. There was something odd about Mr. Evans…

Severus furrowed his brow in thought, then it came to him.

In the past, although not as big as his own father, Richard had towered over Severus, but now only a few inches separated them. To be fair, it has been two or three, or was it four? Four years since they'd last seen each other.

Severus wasn't sure how he felt about that. It hadn't been out of any sense of hate or anger for the man, but between everything that had happened, he had just had other priorities. At least what had happened possessed one silver lining.

"So Severus," Richard said, "Lily tells us school has been going well for the two of you?"

Severus curled his lip. That wasn't even remotely accurate, although it could just be that Lily had kept what had happened to herself. "Well enough, I suppose," he said, deciding that if she wanted to keep the peace it wouldn't do for him to ruin it. Besides, she'd invited him to Christmas with her family to cheer him up, and even if it was a Muggle Christmas, he wasn't ungrateful for her company. "It's easier now that O.W.L.s are over."

"That's good," Richard panted, shifting to try to keep the packages up. His face was rather red from all the exertion.

"Did you need some help with carrying those?" If it had been Petunia, Severus would have watched with a smile on his face, but he didn't dislike Richard.

"I shouldn't really accept help from our guest," Richard sighed, shuffling again, "but honestly, I should have done this in two trips. Some help would be great."

Severus nodded and started taking some of the packages out of Richard's hands. He might not be able to use magic outside the home until for another couple weeks, but he was strong enough to manage a little less than half of what Richard was carrying.

With both of them working together, everything went smoothly and it seemed like mere moments before Richard said 'here we are'.

Severus set them down with care - it wouldn't do to break anything - before reaching into his pocket and adding four shrunken parcels to the pile - the shrinking charm he'd placed on them was a weak one, and would expire sometime later that day. Still, he sighed - wrapped in plain parchment, they would look downright dreary next to the colorful gifts for the Evans.

"What did you bring the ladies, if you don't mind me asking?" Richard said as he put down his own load.

Severus' eyes narrowed. It wasn't like with magic he couldn't come up with a decent gift for a bunch of Muggles. "They're fine," he said shortly.

"That's great," Richard said with a grin before leaning forward conspiratorially, "I got Lily a few shirts myself - it's hard to buy much for a witch, you know?"

Oh, that's what he meant... "Right. Lily can be a bit picky about her gifts, perhaps a little spoiled-" He paused, realizing who he'd just told this to. "Please don't tell her."

Richard chuckled. "Your secret is safe with me."

Severus nodded, before surveying his work.

The Evans family Christmas tree was a short little thing, only going up to Severus' chin. There was a single line of lights that wrapped three times around from the bottom to the top, and resting on the boughs were ornaments and metal balls with names and dates written on them in glitter. A wooden angel hung on the top, one wing badly chipped.

Underneath it, there were perhaps twenty-five or thirty gifts, most from various members of the Evans family, but a fair number from others whose names Severus didn't recognize - probably more of Lily's relatives. He was just wondering how many relatives the Evans family must have to get so many when Marigold Evans swept into the room, Lily behind her.

A hair net covered Marigold's hair, save for the blonde and grey bits that poked out in places, and her arms were flecked with bits of dough. She still made a powerful figure though, possessing a set of thin, graceful eyebrows that even Severus found himself jealous of. With a simple raise of an eyebrow, she could make someone question their life... or at least feel very stupid. Her features reminded one of her eldest daughter, if more lined and greying, yet she carried herself with the poise of a woman who was perfectly content with who she was and the life she led.

"-Lily," Marigold said, "I understand that you're only trying to improve it, but," Her eyes fell on Severus. She blinked a moment before offering a polite nod. "It's good to see you, Severus. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Evans," Severus said, bowing stiffly before turning to her daughter, "and you too, Lily." He barely kept his voice from stuttering.

"You too, Sev," Lily chirped, a teasing light in her eyes. She must have been helping her mother in the kitchen, as she had a few spots of dough over her chest. She had her long red hair tied back in a loose ponytail and was wearing a t-shirt over a pair of jeans that hugged her hips tightly and whose knees had been worn to nearly nothing by long use. Her face was made for easy, friendly grins, and she used it for that purpose now, smiling at Severus before returning her discussion with her mother about the decorations.

Severus didn't pay much attention to it though, too enchanted by Lily. Her clothing clung to her a little too tight for propriety in his opinion, but Severus' baser instincts enjoyed the show, and it was with great effort that he prevented his eyes from trying to peek constantly where her t-shirt wrapped about her cleavage.

"Hey Sev," Lily said, disengaging from her argument with her mother for a moment, "want to try some of the biscuit dough? It's chocolate chip."

Being offered free food by Lily? Severus didn't even have to think it over. "Yes, I do. Thank you."

"Don't have too much," Marigold said. "Dinner is soon, Severus, so be sure not to spoil your appetite."

Lily huffed. "Don't worry, mum, I won't stuff him on sweets."

* * *

"So how do you like it?" Lily asked as Severus licked clean a small spoon of the dough. She bit her lip. "Is it good?"

He actually hadn't had biscuit dough before, although he was hardly going to tell Lily that. It was almost half made up of chocolate chips, and the rest of it had a sort of sugary flour taste mixed with melted butter and a bit of egg. Somehow it worked together well. Severus swallowed. "Delicious," he said, putting the spoon in the sink.

Lily's face lit up before she returned to getting the dough ready for baking.

The Evans' kitchen was cramped. More than a couple people would make it awkward to move around, and the counter was too short to work on more than one thing at a time. Still, everything was placed so that everything was within reach of a single step, with a toaster on one side and an olive-green microwave on the other. The oven sat right next to the hallway entrance, which had the slight downside that nobody could come inside if the oven door was open.

It was Muggle, but Severus couldn't help but be a bit envious as he looked it over. When he got his own potions laboratory, he would have to make sure it was as neat and orderly as this kitchen.

Lily hummed as she got everything ready, arranging the dough into these thin little circles. She made it look easy as she bustled about, all with a little smile on her face. It was just like in Potions and Charms, on the Quidditch field or anywhere, really - she always belonged, everywhere she went.

Severus watched out of the corner of his eyes, trying to keep from being too obvious. Lily was beautiful, he knew. It was one of the reasons for her popularity at school, but here it was an active beauty, a loveliness in motion with a grace that outstripped anything Lucius Malfoy possessed with all his vaults and generations of pure blood.

Twenty minutes later, the smell of melting chocolate wafted through the kitchen as the platter came out of the oven.

"Very well done, Lily," said Marigold, offering her an approving nod as she entered the kitchen, "those look downright wonderful."

Lily beamed. "Thanks, mum!"

"Unfortunately," Marigold said as she gently pushed past Severus to the refrigerator and pulled out some a roast beef, "I'm sorry, Severus, but we're a little behind schedule here. Lily and I have got to finish the last of the roast and we need to get some more firewood." She set the platter in the oven and sighed, massaging her forehead. "To make a long story short, dinner won't be ready for another half-hour."

At the mention of dinner, Severus' stomach let out a gurgle. It had been… what, seven, maybe eight hours since he'd eaten? That had just been a bologna sandwich to boot. "I could help."

Marigold raised an eyebrow and looked to be considering it before she shook her head. "I wouldn't dare ask our guest to help us prepare for dinner."

"You aren't asking. I'm offering, and as hungry as I am, letting me help you get it ready is to my benefit as much as yours." Not least because it would give him time with Lily, he mentally added.

"Sev is just as good at Potions as I am," Lily chimed in support. "he'd be an excellent cook."

Marigold looked at her daughter's pleading eyes and sighed. "Very well," she turned to Severus with the first smile she'd given him all night, "if you want to help, I will allow it."

* * *

"I cannot believe I am stuck out here with you," Petunia hissed as they traipsed through the Evans' family's backyard.

Severus smirked back, but privately thought she had a point. Admittedly, Marigold had a point in that the kitchen was already plenty crowded with two cooks, and it wasn't like Richard needed much help in going to the store for the last few items, so it was Petunia he'd been sent to aid.

He was going to fetch firewood like some Muggle laborer, of all things. As Marigold had further explained, while the Evans family relied upon central heating, apparently there was just something about a lit hearth that was 'magical' on Christmas. He wasn't sure if he fully accepted that, but given he'd volunteered…

Their breath frosted in the air in front of they worked. It wasn't a terribly large back-yard, but the wheelbarrow they'd been given was an ungainly beast, and it was taking them an age and a half to get across.

"Why are you even here?" Petunia said.

"Because I offered to help your mother, I believe."

Petunia growled, only for her anger to be undermined by how her teeth chattered.

For once, Severus found himself ever so slightly grateful to his parents. His coat was over-large, its sleeves having to be rolled up to prevent them from drooping down to past his hands, and it was hard to move his arms much with how thick and bulky it was, but it was warm. Petunia's, on the other hand, was thin and impractical, perhaps enough to keep her warm on a regular winter day, but today… his smirk widened as her teeth chattered away.

Petunia growled again but didn't otherwise respond, rubbing her hands together for warmth as she apparently decided for once that getting their task done rather than bitching about him was a better use of her time.

A sensible decision, he supposed, sacrificing her bitching now for the greater bitching later.

It wasn't until they'd finished loading their logs in the wheelbarrow and were halfway to the house when Petunia spoke again. "So why _are_ you here?"

"'Because I offered to help your mother. Is your memory failing, dear 'Tuney'? I said it no more than five minutes ago."

"No, not here outside - why are you here at all? Don't you have something better to do with your freak parade than ruining my family's Christmas?"

Severus raised a single eyebrow. "Rest assured, I have no intention of ruining your 'quality family time', and there are many places I'd rather be than here dealing with you."

"Ah, so your nasty friends didn't want you to come. Got uninvited from whatever freak party, hmm?"

Severus glared back. "As if I would discuss my social calendar with a _Muggle_."

Petunia wasn't bothered by his anger though, her smile only growing wider. "You're filth," she said, voice soft rather than its normal high-pitched shrill, "and Lily may not mind it, but I'm going to make sure my parents throw you out of here if it takes all Christmas."

Severus sneered. He'd endured the Marauders' bullying and the machinations of Slytherins, what could a Muggle chit do to him?

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello everyone. It's been a while since I posted a Harry Potter story, but I've been working hard to improve my writing. I plan to use this style for my future fanfics, and if you like it I may even go back and edit some of my old work in the same vein. If I did, what stories would you like to see improved?**

 **P.S. Originally this was supposed to be published by Christmas, but then, it was originally supposed to be no more than 5,000 words. Both estimates proved wildly inaccurate. It's all finished now, save for some slight edits on the later chapters, and I plan to post one chapter a week for this.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Severus' Christmas with the Evans**

 **Chapter Two**

 **Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, nor do I own the Harry Potter Series.**

They'd just finished putting the firewood by the fire when Marigold popped her head into the hall. "Richard wants to speak to you, Severus. He's in his study."

Severus only had to take one look at his current companion before he was walking to the study as fast as his legs could carry him.

He had almost arrived when raised voices caught his attention

"Dad, I know what I'm doing!" Lily said, her voice near to shouting. "And it's not like I'm doing it alone. Some of my other housemates are joining too."

"You may know, but I certainly don't!" Richard thundered back. "You haven't told me anything about them, other than it's some group created by your teacher, who, let me remind you, I have not met." His voice softened. "Look, I just want you to be safe. Can you at least tell me what they will be doing?"

Lily and her father arguing? Severus' brain almost fried at the thought. Lily was… well, it said a lot that one of the things he disliked the most about her was how she refused to write off Potter as an attention-seeking asshole, saying that there was good in everyone. Meanwhile, the only time he'd ever heard Richard raise his voice in anger was the time some of Severus' accidental magic hurt Petunia, and the man had even apologized for that! What was this group though? He tried to think what it might be - a dueling club under Flitwick maybe?

"I'm sorry," Lily said sadly, "but I just can't. You'll just have to trust me."

Richard snorted. "What have they taught you in that school of yours that you can't give your own father a straight answer?"

"Dad, you're overreacting."

"Until you can answer my question, young lady, this conversation is over."

Lily growled, and a moment later the study door was thrown open as she stormed out.

Severus tried to look like he'd just arrived, moving toward her as if he hadn't been standing there like a lump for the last minute. "H-hey, Lily."

She glanced at him and sighed. "Sorry you had to hear that, Sev."

Busted. Trying to pretend his face wasn't heating up, Severus copped to what she said. "What's your father mad about angry about? Usually, you're -" a total Daddy's Girl, "close. Very close."

She shrugged, offering a wan smile. "Don't worry about it. He's worried about this club I'm wanting to join. You know, being the overprotective dad."

Severus had never experienced that himself, but he knew of the 'overprotective parent' affliction from many of his housemates, so he nodded along. "It's not very good, is it?"

"Well, it is and it isn't," she said, making about as much sense as mud. She smiled, but it didn't meet her eyes. "I really need to go help mum in the kitchen again - dinner's almost ready."

"Alright…"

She started to walk away, but only took only three steps before turning back, "I didn't get to say this earlier," she smiled once more, a real one this time, "but I'm glad you came, Sev."

Severus' face heated up again and words became vague concepts in the mush he called his brain. Finally, he managed to stutter out, "T-thank you. Me too."

It was to Lily's back though as she disappeared around the corner.

Ugh. He always seemed to find the wrong words at the right time and the right words at the wrong time. What was it about her that always got him tongue-tied? He shook his head at himself.

Regardless though, he had someone to meet.

The study was almost a misnomer, Severus thought as he stepped inside. It had once been a small storage room or cupboard under the stairs but from what Lily told him, her father was a clerk of some sort and brought work home sometimes. For lack of better alternatives, a small desk had been squashed in the back of this little room, just under the low ceiling, so now it was the study.

Mr. Evans had made it his own though, with a high-backed chair for him to sit at, a single bookshelf bolted to the wall on one side under which laid an old record player that would play Muggle tunes with only the slightest scratching from overuse. There was just enough room for one or two other people to stand before his desk, but there were no other chairs.

"So how are you doing today?" Richard said with a smile from behind the desk. The man was massaging his forehead though, and the smile didn't quite meet his eyes.

"I'm well," Severus said cautiously. He didn't want to get in the middle of a fight between Lily and her dad. "You called for me?"

Richard frowned a moment in thought before nodding. "That's right I did… but Lily already helped me with that."

"Oh."

"But since you're here, would you mind indulging an old man's curiosity?"

Severus raised an eyebrow at that. An old man? Richard wasn't even that far into his forties. Still, he supposed it couldn't hurt to humor him - even if Lily didn't want to tell her father something, it was unlikely Severus knew anything about it. "What would you like to know?

Richard steepled his hands in front of him, before saying, "I want to know about the man you folks call 'Voldemort'."

Severus' mouth fell open and he stared uncomprehendingly at the man before him. Voldemort? Why, why, _why_ would Richard Evans want to ask him about the Dark Lord? Hell, how would he even know about him unless - Lily! A month after what had happened and Richard was asking about Voldemort? It couldn't be a coincidence, could it?

"Severus?"

Severus looked at him but detected no duplicitousness from the man, so finally, he said, "He is a very powerful wizard, why?"

Richard's expression clouded and his lips quirked into a rueful smile. "Lily told me a little about him, but she is always so concerned when she talks to me, like I'm too old and frail to take the blow. I wanted to get it straight, and at least you won't try to protect my 'fluttering nerves'."

Severus thought quickly. Sounding too proud of the Dark Lord wouldn't go over well if Lily ever heard about it, but he didn't know what Lily had told him, so sounding too critical was hardly a good idea either, "The Dark Lord," he said slowly, "is one of the most powerful wizards of all time, with only a few coming close. He has aims to change the wizarding world, but to do so has taken steps and courted those of an extreme bent. Some say he wants the best for the world, but others say that his only goal is to strengthen himself. The latter call him a dark wizard."

There, that sounded about right. Severus thought. It was relative and expressed opinions, but not Severus' own.

"That's... hmm, thank you," Richard said, steepling his hands in front of his face as he considered what Severus had said. "Now, I also wanted -"

"Dinner!" came Marigold's call, echoing through the house.

Both men looked at each other before Richard smiled. "Seems I'll have to save my questions for later. Thank you for indulging an 'old man's' curiosity though, Severus."

* * *

Christmas Dinner at the Evans family consisted of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding swimming in gravy with a bunch of greens, roasted brussels sprouts, salad, and all the eggnog one could drink, albeit alcohol-free.

Neither Richard nor Lily were impolite, but if one was paying attention, they'd notice that neither went out of their way to associate with one another. Petunia had narrowed eyes throughout the meal, sometimes aimed at Severus, sometimes at Lily, and a few times even at her parents.

Severus kept to himself mostly though, save for when Lily and he were talking. He definitely didn't want to get in the middle of Lily and Richard's argument, especially when he'd probably have to deal with whatever nuisance Petunia had planned.

Dinner went by slowly, with the air of a bomb snugly nestled under the kitchen table, ready to go off at any moment.

Yet somehow though they made it through without an explosion and the end of it found Severus helping Lily do the dishes. Marigold had been against the guest helping, but Severus had insisted that he really, truly wanted to help them. By them of course, he meant Lily.

"So what's next?" Severus asked as he wiped down a plate Muggle-style. "We eat the cookies, hang out by the fire, then go to bed?"

"You'll just have to wait and find out," Lily said with a sunny smile.

"There isn't anything bad, is there?"

"You'll just have to wait and find out."

Severus gave her as stern a look as he could manage - which wasn't much. "You're teasing me."

"You'll just have to wait and -"

He flicked some suds at her.

Lily ducked as a series of giggles escaped her. When she'd successfully escaped his dastardly onslaught, her grin was wider than ever though. "Okay, that may have been called for. I'm being serious though. It's a surprise, so don't ask me to spoil it."

"You know how I don't like surprises," Severus bellyached.

"Trust me, it will be fun."

Fun for Muggles, he wanted to say, and probably would have said to anyone other than Lily. He understood that the Evans family were being nice… well, they were being nice, save for Petunia. Still, after seeing what the Malfoys were capable of when they'd invited the poor half-blood to join them for the holidays, he wasn't expecting much. The evening hadn't been too bad so far, and it was Lily, so he let the moment pass.

Soon enough, Lily went upstairs to change into more appropriate attire, then he was called to the living room. It looked like the Evanses had done a bit of rearranging, as they'd dragged five chairs from the dining room into a circle, underneath that little Christmas Tree. Across from them, the fireplace burned merrily away, with what looked like five oversized red socks hanging from atop it.

When Lily came down, it was in a green dress that revealed very little of her chest and curves, going down past her knees. It wasn't the most flattering thing he'd seen her wear, but it was just the right shade to bring out her eyes and drew his attention to the mischievous grin she wore.

She chose a spot for herself in front of the tree, beside her mother. "Come on, Sev," She patted the seat beside her. "Sit down, you doofus."

Marigold nodded down at the chair but otherwise said nothing. The smile on her face had thinned a little though.

Wondering if Petunia had gotten to her or he'd offended her somehow, Severus took the seat Lily had guided him to.

Shortly after, Richard sat down on Severus' other side, Petunia following behind him. Her eyes narrowed at his presence, but she took the seat between her parents, jerking her chair back to avoid contact with his 'filth'.

"Alright, let us begin," Richard said, before pulling out a well-worn tome from the shelf beside him.  
He thumbed through the pages with practiced ease before clearing his throat. "We'll begin with a Bible reading. Isaiah, chapter…"

Although he had his misgivings - what on earth was a Bible? - Severus remained silent and listened.

Richard had a soft voice that could easily have been forgotten in the background, but with everyone silent, it was almost like the story was whispering itself to Severus. It was the tale of a child blessed from long before he was born, and how a terrible king had forced his soon-to-be parents to traverse across Israel and had no choice but to have him in a stable for lack of places to rest.

The king was hunting them and their child, a major event because the child was destined to rule over all or something.

It was some sort of religious thing, Severus decided. He'd heard of some of the wizarding religions before, worshipped gods and goddesses, although he'd never been too interested. This sounded a lot like that, although he supposed it could also have been the result of some wizards getting involved.

Still, the story was well-told and he waited with some curiosity to hear the results of the revolution the child would create when he grew up.

Richard ended the story at the child's birth but said that the child went on to be called the prince of peace.

Severus wondered how the child's great destiny became something about peace. The world needed violence to change it, not peace and good-will.

It would be nice though. Between the Marauders, his father, the Death Eaters, Hogwarts, and the Wizarding World as a whole, there never seemed to be much peace nowadays. The last time had been after Grindlewald fell, before Severus had even been born.

He sighed, leaning back into his chair, a sense of tranquility coming over him. He was beside Lily on Christmas Eve. Yes it was a Muggle Christmas gathering, but it wasn't too bad, and one difference from the Malfoy's or even Hogwarts was that he didn't have to watch his back for knives - as much as he and Petunia despised one another, neither would try to truly harm the other. Drive one another out of their lives? Yes. Hurt? No.

Finally, Richard closed the bible with a smile. "Now, let's move on to the second reading tonight. Severus," he said, "As you're the guest, would you like to start?"

Petunia muttered under her breath, glaring daggers at Severus.

Severus resisted the urge to smirk at Petunia, but only barely. "Of course, sir. I would love to."

But rather than handing Severus the Bible he had been reading from, Richard offered him a thin book with a cover showing a snowy landscape and star-filled night. The title read 'The Night Before Christmas'.

"Just start on the first page," Richard said

Severus opened it up to see a book of colorful pictures, with only a few lines of text per page, and only twenty pages at most.

Severus stared dumbly at it. It was a damned children's book. He'd underestimated the Muggles apparently, thinking them incapable of mockery and trickery, then they give him a children's book to read. Petunia _had_ gotten to them first.

"Come on, Sev," Lily said, squeezing his shoulder.

Severus narrowed his eyes at her but finally he began to read. "'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse…"

Was this some sort of humiliation, to make up for their anger over what happened? Lily and him had spent months arguing over his friends, her mad over their dark magic, their bullying ways, and how they were going to join the Dark Lord, him over her support of the Marauders while refusing to give his friends the slightest chance, a battle waged with long diatribes and snide remarks, lasting from almost the start of his fourth year until the beginning of sixth year -

"When on the rooftop there arose such a clatter!"

Severus started. He'd said that, yes, but it hadn't been him alone. Lily had joined in. He stared at her, his reading halted for the moment.

"Go on," she said, her face an embarrassed pink, "sometimes we like to chime in."

Severus gave her a look but continued reading.

This time though, he was not alone. Although only he had the book in front of him to read, first one sentence, then another and another had someone joining in, reading the same words he was with a smile of their own. Even Petunia didn't have her usual glare, chiming in at something about reindeer.

He kept reading.

"Ooh, here's the best part, " Lily said, before the entire Evans family joined in on 'He had a broad face and a round little belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly!', their voices loud and hammy as they each seemed to top each other in their recitations, even Petunia making a voice like an old man.

When they finished the line, they all giggled, Lily wiping a tear from her eyes. "Sorry Sev," she said, "please continue."

He did, looking from one to the other out of the corner of his eye in confusion. This wasn't humiliation - if it were, why would they humiliate themselves? - no, he wasn't sure what it was, but it didn't seem bad.

As he continued the story, there were a couple more moments where they recited along with him, but not all at once until the end when they said, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Severus had an oddly warm feeling in his chest as he set the book down.

"Good job, Severus!" Lily said, squeezing his shoulder.

Richard joined in. "Very much so. Lily told me that you would make an excellent radio speaker, but I see she was understating it if anything. You could melt butter with that voice. Almost like how Grandpa Evans did it," he smiled at Severus, "Sitting right in that chair like you are now."

"What was he like?" Severus asked, curious in spite of himself.

Lily smiled. "Grandpa Evans? Well, he was a skinny man, not too tall," she looked him over, "actually, maybe even shorter than you now. But he had this _air_ about him sometimes, the kind that makes you stop and listen, and never was it bigger than when he'd read the book you did just now, Severus."

Petunia snorted. "Hardly. Oh your voice was… decent, I suppose," she looked ill at the thought of having given Severus a compliment, "but Grandpa Evans brought that story to life."

Marigold said, "Severus said it nicely too, yet Grandpa Evans was good too."

"He was so serious," Lily said, "yet whenever it was his turn to get to read, nobody could keep a straight face." She smirked before turning toward her sister. "Petunia has that skill too."

"I do not! I happen to have an excellent reading voice if you must know."

"Shame it's my turn next year," Lily's smirk widened and her eyes danced.

But it was Petunia's turn to smirk "Ah, ah, ah. I talked with Mum and dad before the reading - your friend, your turn - Severus used your turn when he read."

Lily's expression crumpled. "But that's not fair! Not that I wish you didn't read, Severus," Lily added quickly. "You were lovely, and I'm glad you did. It's just… it was my turn!"

"It is fair," Marigold said firmly. "It wouldn't be fair to Petunia to have to give up her turn for your friend. Don't worry though," she smiled, "you can have mine."

Lily considered. "Very well." She smirked, leaning into Severus. "You should have seen Petunia back in 72," she whispered conspiratorially, "She got on the tallest chair so she could be all adult, but halfway through it-"

"Don't you dare!"

Lily seemed to consider, then so quickly it was practically a run-on sentence, she said, "Her braces poked her cheek right in the middle, so she said, 'Not a creature was stirring, not even an - Oh god this hurts!"

Petunia let out a wordless shriek.

"Lily, quit teasing your sister."

Severus couldn't stop himself. First one laugh escaped him, then another, then the entire bunch. The sight of Lily looking like a five-year-old being told to wait till next time at the store was just too cute.

 **Author's Note: To answer a couple quick questions. Yes, this is an AU story, which I've adjusted the summary to indicate. As to how it's AU, I don't want to spoil too much, but one event in the past changed. Two, I originally was under the impression that most wizards could dispel their own spells without another spell, but then I realized that that's something from a different fandom. The mistake has been corrected.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Severus' Christmas with the Evans**

 **Chapter Three**

 **Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, nor do I own the Harry Potter Series.**

A little while later, after they'd finished the cookies Lily had made and poured even more eggnog - Petunia accepting a bit of bourbon in hers with a triumphant little grin that had her sister fuming - Severus and Lily were sitting on the couch, watching the fireplace burn away.

"I really enjoyed tonight," Lily said, an almost drunken smile on her face in spite of the lack of alcohol. "Did you?"

"I did," Severus said, and it was surprisingly true. There were no flying fairies, nor gigantic ice sculptures, but there was something about it that just made him feel warm inside. "I'm glad I came."

"Good, I was worried when I asked you," she looked down, biting her lip, "that maybe you wouldn't like it so much."

Severus squirmed at her words. "I was… concerned about that myself," he admitted, "but I was happy to have been proven wrong. Thank you for inviting me."

The way Lily beamed at him told him he'd said the right thing this time.

They talked more in that vein for a while until Richard asked to speak with Lily. When she'd left, Severus glanced up. The cheap plastic clock hanging over the couch said it was past nine already. Lily might be another hour, so for lack of anything better to do, he decided to pop over to the kitchen and have a couple more treats before heading home.

He was almost to the kitchen when he heard Petunia's raised voice.

"I cannot believe that you let _him_ come here for Christmas."

Marigold sighed. "Lily asked. She wanted to do something nice for her friend."

"Her friend?" Petunia's sneer was audible. "Even if she's a freak like him, Christmas is about family. Not friends, family."

How Petunia was able to make that statement with a straight face was a wonder to Severus. With how much she hated Lily, claiming that Christmas was about 'family' was an absurdity.

Motionless in the hall, Severus decided to wait until they were finished before heading into the kitchen. He was curious to hear how Marigold would reply to her daughter's hypocrisy.

Unfortunately, Marigold didn't laugh in Petunia's face, instead saying sternly, "As long as they've been friends, that is debatable. Regardless, I'm afraid that the choice is your father's and mine to make. Besides," her voice lightened, "Christmas Day is tomorrow morning. It will be soon over. We'll have breakfast, open presents, and he'll be gone soon enough. Then -"

"He thinks he's better than you!" Petunia roared. " He thinks he's better than you, better than dad! He looks at us and thinks that because he can we can't do his freaky magic, he's better than us like we're just some half-people. 'Muggles' he calls us, always with that nasty sneer, and you invited him!" she hiccuped, her voice breaking into a sob. "Why would we want someone here who thinks we're just filthy _Muggles_?"

"Petunia..."

Severus stood frozen, Petunia's words normally bothered him as little as water running down a duck's back, but this… it bothered him. They were Muggles, trues, and he didn't care much for Petunia, also true, but Richard was always kind, and even if Marigold had acted a little oddly tonight, she'd never been anything short of polite to him. They were good people and treated him well.

Did he really think he was better than them?

He could almost hear Malfoy's voice in his ear. 'Why do you care? They're just Muggles.'

A commotion drew Severus' attention and a moment later Petunia tore out of the kitchen

Severus ducked into the shadows, but he doubted she even noticed with how she was sobbing. For the first time though, Severus felt a little sick to his stomach. It was Petunia, yes, but still...

"Severus, could you come in here a moment?" Marigold said..

He blinked. How did she know he was -

"I can see your reflection in the oven door. Now come on," she said.

Slowly, Severus went inside, unwilling to meet her eyes. "How long did you know I was here?"

"From the beginning," she said matter-of-factly. "I'm sorry for what Petunia said," she added as she put the various dishes away. "You're welcome here, regardless of what she said."

"Oh."

Marigold glanced at him. She must have known what he was thinking as she massaged her forehead and said, "Look, Richard and I both know what happened, Severus. Both with those friends you had and that group you were looking to join."

Severus' breath caught in his throat. Lily _had_ told them. Why? Why would she have brought in her damn parents?

Oblivious this way his pulse thundered in his ears, Marigold continued, "Regardless of what you almost did, you've chosen the right path, and that is what matters. I may not be terribly happy with you, but I will welcome you into my home as long as you are doing the right thing now."

The right thing now? The right thing _now_? His blood began to boil. "And did Lily tell you the full story?" he spat, "how she refused to give my friends so much as a chance, just telling me I had to choose her or them?" He balled his hands into fists. "Did she tell you how her housemates make my life miserable, yet she has the nerve to judge my friends? Because they aren't all bad people, no matter how she paints them. They were good to me. They helped me in school, they protected me, and she took that away because 'they're dark wizards'!"

"It's possible she didn't give us the full details, " Marigold allowed, letting out an all-too-convenient yawn, "but it's getting late, too late for this sort of talking. Why don't you go home and rest? We can continue this tomorrow.".

How could she look at him like that, just like Lily in her disappointment? He had _not_ done anything wrong, not then and not now, but he knew a dismissal when he heard one. Taking a slow, hissing breath, he said, "Very well. I will be back in the morning. Tell Lily," he hesitated. Even through the red haze that clouded his vision, he still saw the way her face beamed earlier that evening. "Good night, and thanks for having me."

Marigold's expression softened. "I will be sure to do so."

* * *

The snow was thick outside, although no more of it was falling. It crunched under his feet as he made his way through the narrow streets to Spinner's End. Only a couple of the lamp-posts in that neighborhood worked, so all that could be seen were a few moving figures silhouetted against the backdrop of shadowed houses and low clouds under a moonless sky.

Severus was unbothered by any of the denizens that made Spinner's End their home, although that may have been the low growl that emitted from him every few steps.

Perhaps he didn't want to ruin their Christmas, but that didn't mean everything just rolled off him and did she have to tell her _parents_ about the whole thing?

'Could you really have expected any better?' Lucius' voice whispered in his ear. 'They don't understand our world. _She_ doesn't understand our world. To them, it's so simple, good versus evil. But what could you expect? They're just Muggles.'

He threw the door wide when he opened it and the screeching creak of un-oiled hinges echoed through the house.

Muttering under his breath, Severus slammed it shut and stormed through the darkened house, his movements guided by the experience of having made this same trek many a time before, almost instinctively now.

Midway through another growl, His foot was caught mid-step on something large and fleshy.

He instinctively windmilled his arms in a futile effort to maintain his balance, but his momentum carried him down to slam head-first into the floor where his face ground against the damn carpet.

His face feeling like it was on fire, Severus wrenched his wand out of his pocket and muttered the appropriate healing charm.

He was dizzy, so the first cast missed, but the second try took and the pain was soothed away.

Getting to his feet, Severus looked around to see what he'd run into.

His father's bulky frame laid sprawled on the floor beside him, face ruddy and slack in a puddle of drool as he snoozed away, not even noticing that he'd tripped his son.

"Damn Muggle," He hissed, only for a wave of discomfort to rush over him, like somehow he'd done something wrong.

* * *

The following morning, snow fell in a light sprinkle as Severus stalked through the snow. It was only half past six and he imagined most people were still snuggled up in their beds, greedily dreaming of what gifts they'd open when they woke up.

His morning, on the other hand, had consisted of being woken up by Tobias roaring about Eileen opening the blinds too wide and letting the sun in. Luckily, the man was a sullen grouch on these mornings - while he was a downright bastard to anyone who interrupted him, he preferred to stay alone in his sitting chair, nursing a glass of some concoction he called 'medicine'.

Rather than deal with that, Severus had gotten on the way quickly. The night's fitful passage had given way to a grim determination. He would let the morning pass peacefully, finish Christmas with the Evans and when it was over and tempers had cooked, then he'd have that conversation with Lily.

There was a flutter of the curtains as he drew close, and before he could even knock at the door, Lily had opened it wide. "Morning Sev and Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas to you, Lily."

A cheery grin started to form on her face before she seemed to remember something. "Sorry, Sev, but dad wants to talk to you. He says it's about the same stuff as yesterday."

Severus' lip curled at the prospect. Now that he knew what she'd told her parents, he knew why Richard wanted to have his little chat too: to show the poor boy from Spinner's End just where he'd gone wrong, help him see the 'error of his ways'. "You really couldn't just keep our argument between us, could you Lily?"

Lily blinked. "Huh? What in God's name are you talking about, Sev?"

"As if you don't know!" he hissed. "Do you think it's a coincidence that you tell your parents about the fight we had this past year and your father happens to start asking me for little chats about the Dark Lord?"

"Oh," she grimaced, "that."

"Yes, 'that'! Bad enough what happened, but at least it was over and done with. Now I have to start round two with Richard and Marigold!"

Lily held up her hands in surrender. "Sev, I'm sorry, believe me. I had no idea they'd want to get you involved, but it's not what you think. Trust me, I promise I'll explain everything when we have a bit more time."

Severus narrowed his eyes, but there was no faltering in her words, and her eyes didn't shift the way they normally did when she was lying. "Alright, but you'd better have a good explanation."

"Cross my heart. Now, dad's in the study... "

Richard was leaning back in his chair this time, sipping as a glass of juice while wearing a house robe. He smiled when Severus opened the door. "Merry Christmas, Severus. I'm sorry to bother you so early, but I had some more questions about this Voldemort fellow."

Severus took a long, slow breath. "Very well, what do you want to know?"

"What is this Dark Lord going to do?"

"He wants a better way and plans to create a wizarding world where we don't have to hide, where the people who don't understand our ways and culture aren't able to rule over those who do. Right now, we could have a complete idiot rule Magical Britain if they were able to gain enough votes to become Minister for Magic, but the Dark Lord... he would rule with intelligence and strength, making Britain a power to be reckoned with."

"That… isn't a wrong answer to my question, I suppose." Richard stroked his chin. "No, it's not that your answer was wrong, but that my question was. Let me rephrase it. What do you think would happen if this Voldemort man were to win?"

"I'm not sure I follow. What is the difference between the that and what you asked earlier?"

"Very simple. One is asking what the man plans to do and one asks what would actually happen. Believe me, every powerful person out to change things promises the sun and the moon will open up and rain blessings down upon their lucky followers, and most even intend to do so, but those promises are almost never able to be kept. So, instead of telling me what this man intends to do, tell me what you think would actually happen."

Severus frowned. What would actually happen… he was no soothsayer or prophet, but based on what he'd seen… "The Dark Lord and his followers want power, and the Ministry has sworn to stand against them. If the Dark Lord were to win his war against the ministry, well, given that it's a war, there would be at least some deaths, but those who accept his rule and serve him should be fine."

"What about those of what some of you lot call 'lesser blood', Muggleborns and Muggles? What would happen to them?"

"I suppose that as long as they kept their head down and didn't cause any trouble, he probably wouldn't target them."

Richard frowned. "I'm sorry, Severus, but 'should' or 'probably'? 'As long as they kept their head down'?"

"Well, it's not as if the Dark Lord would go murdering them in droves or anything! That would be madness. A few would be in trouble, but surely it would be those who are really nasty sorts," 'people like my father', he added to himself.

In spite of Severus' attempt to reassure him though, Richard's expression only darkened further. "And what about those who fought against him? What about those who wouldn't kneel to him?" He slammed his hand on his desk, causing it to shake. "What would happen to the ones who _didn't_ give up?"

"That would be ridiculous. As you stated, he would have already won, so what's the point in fighting?" Severus realized he was shouting and swallowed down his discomfort. "This is foolish. Why is this so important to you, Richard?"

"Because…" Richard's eyes shifted back and forth in a way all too reminiscent of his daughter when she was lying. "I want to know what I have to look forward. If he wins, then what happens to me and my family?"

Busted. Severus clenched his hands into a fist, his voice almost a snarl. "I know what Lily told you, so if this is about that, I am _done_. I'm tired enough of fighting with her, and I do not need you rubbing my nose in it like a damn dog!"

Richard drew back, stung. "Is that what you think this is about, Severus?" he said softly.

"Then what is it about? Why stir this all up?"

For a long moment, Severus' heavy breathing was the only sound, but even as he glared at Richard, Richard didn't look angry, only a bit sad.

"Severus," he said quietly, "I will let Lily explain why she told us, but although I was not happy with your prior choices, rest assured, I have no desire to rub your nose in it. Please trust me. I would not ask if it weren't important."

"Then why not ask Lily?"

Richard let out a tired sigh. "Two reasons: the first is, you were closer to this Dark Lord than she ever was. You know things that she won't, and two, I don't think she would tell me the full truth." He rubbed his forehead. "She thinks that I'm too old, that it's too much for me and she wants to protect me. You're the only other person from the magical side of Britain that I know."

As much as he didn't like it, Severus could see Mr. Evans' point. "Very well," he said, "what do you _truly_ want to know?"

"I want to know what will _really_ happen if this Dark Lord person wins. Not what he says, not what you'd like to have happen or what you tell yourself to help you sleep at night, but what will actually happen." He took a deep breath and let it out. "But the truth is, I think we both know the answer already. There's going to be blood, death, and suffering once Voldemort wins. He's going to take over through murder and rule the same way, and anything else is just a comforting lie."

Before Severus could begin to respond, Marigold called down the hall, "Severus, Richard! Time for breakfast!"

Both men looked at each other before Richard chuckled. "We'd best not keep my dear wife waiting. Again, I'm sorry. I can only imagine how hard that must have been, but I didn't mean to cause you any pain."

During breakfast though, Severus couldn't take his thoughts from what Richard had said.

Richard didn't know the wizarding world's politics, by his own words. All he knew was what Severus and Lily had told him, and he had immediately jumped to the conclusion there would be murder and death once Voldemort was victorious. Alright, Severus was willing to admit that Voldemort's methods of gaining power were bloody ones, but surely he would show some sense of restraint once he had gotten it?

'But what would happen to those who didn't agree with him?' he could almost hear Richard say. 'A man willing to murder and torture countless people to gain power, would that sort of man be alright with people refusing to serve him, or leaving the country for somewhere else?'

Perhaps it would only happen to the bad ones, like his father, he defended to himself. Severus tried to conjure an image in his head of his father pleading for his life after everything he had done, but the features slipped and bled into Richard's, Marigold's and Lily's. Would his father even try to defy the Dark Lord? The man was a coward underneath his bravado, always afraid of those with greater power. No, it wouldn't be him who resisted.

It wouldn't be _him_ who died.

 **Author's Note: I'm a little surprised at the lack of reviews. I suspect it's mostly due to the Christmas theme being a bit late this far into January though. Let me know what questions you have. Final chapter is next week :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Severus' Christmas with the Evans**

 **Chapter Four**

 **Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, nor do I own the Harry Potter Series.**

Severus ate breakfast, he intellectually knew this, but for the life of him, he couldn't say what his body had consumed. A conversation took place around him, but it was a low buzzing noise and he wasn't sure who spoke and who was speaking to him.

When they were finished, he heard something about twenty minutes and gifts, but could barely bring himself to nod in response.

Lily pulled him aside to the kitchen while her family got the dining room chairs moved back to the living room. "Sev, are you - what's wrong?"

He shrugged, unable to bring himself to meet her eyes.

"This is about what you said this morning, isn't it?" She massaged her forehead, guilt written all over her face. "Look, I never meant for it… at the time, I was out of ideas and didn't know what to say, so I talked to my parents."

He blinked. Her parents? What did this - oh. "You mean the ultimatum was their idea?"

Lily winced. "I wish you wouldn't call it an ultimatum, but yes. They said that after so many fights and arguments, it was clear neither of us were getting anywhere, and since I couldn't stand where the path you were going was taking you, I had to make it clear that if you were going to stay my friend, you had to choose."

A day ago, an hour ago, Severus would have been furious to have heard their personal business had been talked over and dissected by her parents. Now though… "I should have realized, but no, that wasn't it."

"Then what was?"

"Because of what you told him, your father brought me into his study to ask me what would happen if the Dark Lord won." He took a deep breath and said. "It hurt a lot when you gave me that ultimatum. I was going to be powerful, I was going to be respected, and you took it all away from me."

"That was _hardly_ my reason. I just wanted..." She trailed off, looking away.

Severus couldn't blame her. Save for briefly this morning, there was a reason they hadn't brought this subject up since the ultimatum. Unable to bring himself to look at her, he said, "Say it, Lily."

The snow falling outside was the only motion.

Severus wasn't willing to back down though. He needed this, and he stood unmoving until he finally heard Lily sigh.

"Fine. I just wanted to stop my best friend from joining that gang of monsters. That's all." She narrowed her eyes. "Are you happy now? Is _that_ what you want me to say?"

Even now, his instinct was to shout back. But then his thoughts returned to the same topic as this morning. He lowered his head, unable to bring himself to meet her gaze. "When your father asked me about the Dark Lord, he'd only heard what little you and I had told him, but he understood immediately something: when the Dark Lord wins, people are going to die."

"Err, yes," Lily said slowly. "Wait, you did know that, right?"

"Of course I knew that! I'm not an idiot, I just… didn't think much about who would die. The little I did, I thought it would be criminals, abusers -" 'my father' "- bad people, in other words. But it won't be them, will it? Good people will die," he finally met her eyes, "people like your mother, your father, even you, and I didn't even care enough to _look_."

The only sound was Petunia grumbling in the kitchen as she did the dishes.

"If You-Know-Who wins, then yes, Severus, you're probably right," Lily finally said. Her gaze was soft, sad. "We would all die."

Severus laughed bitterly. "I was so oblivious that I saw only glory before me but really it was a cliff. If I'd gone forward, I don't know when I would have realized my mistake. Would it have taken your death or your family's death? Even when you gave me the ultimatum, I only accepted because I feared losing you more! I still didn't think I'd done anything wrong. I even resented you for taking it away from me." He bowed his head once more. "All I can say is that I'm sorry. I should have listened sooner.."

He turned to the window, waiting for her to pass judgment upon him. He deserved it, not just for what he'd said, but for how he'd been belittling her family for being poor, for being Muggles, for not being the Malfoy family - the Malfoy family may have let him attend a party, but they'd never made him feel so welcome. So he braced himself

There was a soft sigh from Lily, then two arms wrapped around him in a tight hug. She didn't say anything, but then she didn't need to. Her embrace said everything that needed to be said, that there was nothing to fear, no anger and no judgment.

Severus leaned into it, putting his hands atop her own.

"It's okay, Sev," Lily murmured."Even if you didn't realize it then, you did the right thing, and now you understand why. It's over, it's done, we're still friends and that's what matters."

He looked back to see her.

Her eyes, so piercing sometimes, now were like puddles of warm water he could sink into, and her beaming smile could light up the darkest night.

And yet… After opening his eyes to what was to come, he couldn't close them again. "What comes now?" he asked softly.

Marigold calling them for gifts wasn't exactly what he'd thought of, but he couldn't bring himself to mind.

* * *

"Ooh, look at this!" Lily cried out, revealing the contents of the little package she'd opened. A heart-shaped locket dangled from her hand, made of silver with the word ' _Family_ ' etched upon it and all held up by a matching chain. "This is lovely. Thanks, mum."

"It's nice enough, I suppose," Petunia said with a pout.

"Looks good on you," Richard added.

"It was mine when I was your age. My family didn't have that much then, so my father had to work extra hours to afford it." She chuckled ruefully. "I was horrified at them getting me something so extravagant, but they wanted to give me something special for my seventeenth birthday. And now it's my turn to give it to my daughter."

"Aww," Lily clasped it to her chest, "thank you!"

"Now, let's see. Your next gift is from," Marigold peered down at the wrapped gift in her hand, "Uncle Terrence."

Lily groaned. "Not another doll…"

Opening gifts was simple at the Evans household. Rather than each person opening a gift at the same time. One person would open all their gifts back-to-back.

Marigold and Richard had already opened all of theirs, including a cookbook of magical recipes for the former and a limitless inkwell for the latter, for which they'd both thanked him with a smile. Now it was Lily's turn, with Petunia to come after and finally Severus.

After everything he had confessed, Severus felt almost boneless, empty inside. He watched without a word.

It was different than the Christmas parties Severus attended before. Even with all their relatives and his own gifts included, the total haul the Evanses received was but a fraction of what Lucius alone would receive. Yet each one of them would ooh and aah over something as small as a bottle of some fancy shampoo. It took longer, but somehow Severus found himself surprised to glance at the clock and see a half-hour had passed.

Soon enough, Lily thanked him profusely for his gift: a copy of _Modern Charmwork: The Practical Guide for Nineteenth-Century Spellcasting_. Rather than the pride he would normally feel, all he could manage was a weak smile. Lily didn't seem to mind though.

Then it was Petunia's turn.

After opening a couple of the larger gifts, and the accompanying oohs and aahs, she took Severus' gift. Small already, it looked positively tiny beside the record-player and full-length she'd received.

She sneered down at Severus, slowly moving it around. "Oh, and what did you give the poor, clueless Muggle, a shirt?"

Severus shrugged, saying nothing.

She tore open the paper without even looking at it, with the air of someone emptying out the wastebasket. When she was finished and she looked down to see what was inside, her sneer only deepened. Holding up three brown cloths, she said, "Ooh, some washcloths, truly my favorite. Truly a gift for the ages."

For the first time since the gift-opening started, Richard and Marigold's smiles looked pasted on. Even Lily looked uncertain.

Severus sighed. He'd sneered and smirked at her so many times, for being a Muggle, for thinking herself his better, but now… it was Christmas, and he'd suffered far worse things than Petunia's snide remarks. "I thought self-cleaning washcloths would suit you."

"Well, your taste in gifts is absolute -" her eyes flickered to the washcloth in her hand, "did you say self-cleaning?"

"Yes." It had been a simple enough gift idea, and it cost him little. All he'd needed to do was pick up some Muggle washcloths from the nearby store. True, the charms were rather advanced, but they'd been useful for Flitwick's class anyway. Now he waited for the usual disdain and contempt.

"Well, that's -" Petunia looked down at the brown cloths. A series of emotions flashed across her face. "Not completely useless, I suppose."

Petunia glanced at the gift one more time, before stiffly setting it atop the record player and returning to opening presents.

Severus blinked. What was this?

"Wow," Lily whispered to him. "When you were asking me for help on Charms, I didn't realize you meant this. Great thinking."

"It was cheap and a good chance to practice my Charms-work," Severus said quietly, "that's all. It was nothing special."

"Hmm, I think Petunia disagrees."

Petunia finished her gifts soon enough, then Marigold said, "The one on the left is from all of us, and the one on the right," she made a show of peering at the tag, "looks like it is from Lily specifically."

"What?" Lily said, "I wanted to make sure he'd have at least two presents to open."

Richard smiled. "Nothing wrong with that. Now, would you like to start with your gift from the little lady?"

Severus nodded and took the gift. It was thick and hard, flat-surfaced.

A book of some sort? Carefully, he opened the wrapping paper, only to find a book with a hard-bound leather cover colored deep green and dull red. There was no title on the tome, nor indication of what it was about.

Curious, he opened it to… a blank page, then another and another. They were all blank.

He raised his eyebrow at Lily.

She grinned proudly. "It's a notebook that self-organizes based on what you want to read. Just pick a subject, and it will move the words to the front."

"What? How?"

She jabbed a finger at her chest. "You may be good at Charms, but I am the best." Her grin widened. "Besides, I thought you might be getting tired of that old potions book."

Severus' face heated up, and it was all he could do to mumble, "Thank you, Lily."

She winked at him before turning to the next gift opened, but Severus kept watching her. Lily was amazing, he'd heard and seen countless people agree. Even his housemates in Slytherin had a grudging respect for her. She was smart, one of the best potioneers and charms mistresses of her age Hogwarts had seen in years, and it seemed like everyone wanted to be her friend.

But if Severus had to say what made her the most amazing of all, it was the way she could make him happy without even trying. Even as bad as he'd been feeling, she'd managed to cheer him up. He could smile for others, and sometimes did, but it was only around her that he sometimes found himself smiling without realizing it.

"Sev, you going to open your next gift?

"R-right!" He hoped she hadn't noticed his continued attention. Quickly, he turned to the other gift, this one reading 'From the Evans family."It was thick, and perhaps half again the length of his arm, although it seemed soft, bundled up. Perhaps clothing of some sort?

He opened it, revealing a thick, woolen cloak. Dyed a deep brown, it was bound at the neck with a silver eagle's head clasp. and easily big enough to cover him from head to toe.

Richard cleared his throat. "We wanted to give you something special, Severus. So we all pitched in."

He looked to Lily, who said, "I did a few more spells and charms. No matter how hot or how cold the day, you'll always be warm inside it."

"I wove the wool myself," Marigold said. "Was a bit tricky at times, but I'm really proud of the results."

Severus could only stare as he ran the cloak's material through his hands. Knitting it must have taken a couple weeks at least, and Lily's spells were no joke. A warming charm was simple, but to make it so he was always at the appropriate temperature regardless of how was hot or cold it was, that was genuinely impressive.

Richard coughed, "And the clasp was me. Grandpa Evans earned a bunch of medals and awards over the years, and this clasp used to be one of them, albeit in a different shape.

"But it's your family's!" Severus said, finally finding his voice. "I know how important family is to you. This… this shouldn't belong to me

"Severus, you doofus," Lily said, "don't you get it? You've been as good as family. Thank you."

"Lily's right," Richard added, "we don't know you as well as we'd like, but you've been a friend to our daughter for nearly a decade now, and whatever else may have happened, you've always been a good friend to her, even when it came at some cost. So to a small extent, this was to thank you."

"Well, I didn't get you anything. Nobody told me you were coming," Petunia said, giving a rather-guilty-looking Lily a glare. 'And even if I did, you'd get some toilet paper or a bottle of shampoo' was implied, yet there was a strange note to her voice, and she didn't look quite at Severus.

A cutting reply was on the tip of Severus' tongue, but this time he gave her a nod before turning back to his gift.

"This is… this is…" Words failed Severus as he ran his fingers through the cloak one more time. It wasn't smooth, but it was thick and warm, and he his hand felt perfectly pleasant, even though it should be hot under the layers of wool that he held in it.

He put it on, feeling the cloak's weight settle around him like a loving embrace.

There were more powerful magical garments, he knew - Lucius boasted of having gotten an invisibility cloak for his birthday in his seventh year - but this wasn't about prestige, wealth or power.

"We know you've had hard choices, Severus, " Richard said, but we wanted you to know ... as long as you do the right thing, the Evans family will always have your back. That we are always there to help you."

Lily took him into a warm embrace of her own. "You see, Severus? We'll always be friends."

First one tear escaped from his eye, then another, and another until they were streaming down his face.

He'd had respect before, power, even the fear of others, but he'd never felt so loved.

His words were interrupted by sobs and hiccups as he crushed Lily into his chest, but from the smiles and watery eyes around him, he was pretty sure they understood.

* * *

Soon enough though, it was time for him to return home, for now anyway. They'd told him he'd always be welcomed there.

Even Petunia only gave a half-hearted grumble and a promise that the next time he came she would be watching him like the proverbial hawk.

But before he left, he said goodbye to one last person.

"Thank you, Lily, thank you so much."

Lily chuckled. "I think you've said at least a few-dozen of those Severus. Not that I mind. We'll see each other tomorrow, okay Sev?"

"Of course." He looked around at the doorstep one more time, at the quiet yard, at the merry little wreath and the welcome sign that seemed meant just for him. In spite of all the occasions he'd seen it, never did it feel worse to leave it.

The Evans family had shown him caring and love… and one day they'd be dead anyway. A groan escaped his lips.

"Sev, what's wrong?"

"For all the good your family has done for me, it's people like them that will be targeted when the Dark Lord takes power. It isn't fair."

"Well, then maybe he won't take power," Lily said, a tight note in her voice.

Severus shook his head. "A lovely sentiment, but even now, people as brave as you refuse to use his name. He's too powerful, and that power is growing by the day. The Ministry has tried as hard as they can and they're still losing. I don't know if it's even possible for him to be defeated."

" _Stop saying that_!"

Severus recoiled at Lily's shout, staring at her wide-eyed.

Lily let out a groan, massaging her forehead as her chest rose and fell with heavy breathing. "I'm sorry, Sev, I didn't mean to startle you, but I am so tired of hearing that from my friends, from our teachers, from my _dad_. You have no idea what it's like to hear everyone around you cowering like there's a monster under their bloody beds. He's terrible, yes, he's powerful, also true, but he is _not_ unbeatable. We just have to fight him."

Just fight him to win? Severus didn't say anything, but the idea of that being enough to defeat Voldemort was foolish in the extreme.

His thoughts must have shown on his face, as Lily narrowed her eyes. "Look," she said, "this isn't the first time that Britain has had to stop a monster. When Grandpa Evans was young, there was this man who wanted to rule everything, who would torture and kill people just because they weren't one of the few people he considered to be good enough. He was a Muggle, but he seemed unstoppable, but Britain and the rest of the countries that made up the United Kingdom, decided that they were going to fight him.

"This vile man would have let us live if we ignored him, but countless innocents would die and an eternal curtain would close on the rest of Europe. Grandpa Evans was no warrior - he spent more of his time reading books and eating cake than anything physical or dangerous, but he volunteered to fight this evil man." She glanced at Severus. "Do you know what he said when I asked him why he did it?"

Severus shook his head.

"'Because although there may have been millions of men like me, ready to fight, there's only one of me. I had to choose: to do I fight this darkness, or turn and hide?' And he volunteered that very day." She smiled, seeming to look into the distance."And I'm going to do the same. I'm going to fight. There may be thousands of witches and wizards like me, but there is only one of me, and I will not let that monster win. You-know-who _must_ be stopped."

"You intend to fight?"

She frowned. "I _will_ fight." Her eyes were like gem chips and her face might have been made of stone for all the give there was to it. Compared to the warmth and kindness that normally showed on it, the difference was stark.

He opened his mouth… and closed it again. He had only seen her like this one time before: during the ultimatum. No matter how he begged or pleaded, she refused to back down until he finally caved. If this was equally important to her, nothing he said would persuade her.

Besides, as much as he hated the idea of Lily putting herself in danger, something about her idea didn't seem quite so mad. If Voldemort wasn't stopped, then one day… he looked around, imagining the wallpaper licked by fire and the Dark Mark rising over the broken house. But could Lily truly make a difference by herself? "What do you plan to do to fight him?"

"There's a group at Hogwarts," she said guardedly, looking at him as if she were waiting for the other shoe to drop, "the Order of the Phoenix. They plan to take the fight to You-Know-Who. Why do you ask?"

He'd never heard of such a group, but then he hadn't ever been interested in fighting _against_ Voldemort before. "Would they be interested in one greasy Slytherin boy joining their ranks?"

The hardness in her face broke as she realized what he was implying. Wonder filled her eyes. "Yes," she said faintly, "I imagine they would like that."

Could Lily make a difference by herself? Logic said no, nobody could on their own. But then, he mentally smirked, the point was moot. He'd never let her fight alone. "Then tell them that one boy who likes reading books won't turn away and hide."

Her returning smile was radiant.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Severus returned to the broken and boarded windows of Spinner's End. When the door swung open with a long creaking noise, he heard his father's indignant growl, the man still rubbing his head as he lay curled up on the couch.

"Back from the girl's house, I see," Tobias said, scowling impotently up at Severus. "Now, could you be ever so kind and _shut the bloody hell up_?"

"Very well," Severus smirked, "Enjoy your hangover."

His father's indignant cry followed him upstairs, but Severus only sneered. "Damn M-" he paused, fingering the cloak he carried over his shoulder. No, not Muggle, Muggle meant Evans, kindness, welcoming. It was too good for filth like Tobias. After a moment's thought, he nodded. "Damn asshole."

THE END

 **Author's Note: I'm sure there are a number of questions about what happens next, and is that the whole story. Yes, this is the end of _this_ story. I am however considering having a new story set in this universe, either a prequel or sequel. Let me know what you think, and send any questions you may have :).**

 **If you like, similar to 'At The Brink', I can do an analysis chapter next.**


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